[Ansteorra] painting fencing masks

[Chris Zakes]

At 01:21 PM 3/29/2011, you wrote:
>Greetings,
>
>The subject of painting modern fencing masks used for SCA rapier 
>combat has come up recently on the Trimaris list. The idea is 
>apparently to paint a "face, an animal, of a helm" on the grill of 
>the mask.  One of the strong points of SCA vs. the LARP groups has 
>been the ability to look for period examples and "see what they 
>did", but I don't know that there are any equivalents.
>
>I would be interested in hearing if this is done in your area and 
>any opinions or ideas, pro or con, on this subject.
>
>Thanks,
>    Stefan


The basic dilemma is this: To the best of our knowledge, fencing 
masks weren't developed until a century or two past the SCA's period. 
Nevertheless, SCA safety rules (and common sense) require proper face 
and head protection. So you're left with two choices, a modern 
fencing mask, or a rapier-legal period style helm.

Both options have problems. A fencing mask is, indeed, a glaring 
modernity on the field, but I'll ask the purists: is it any less 
anachronistic than a Norman or any other early-period fighter wearing 
a full helm--also required by SCA safety rules--instead of a 
pot-helm? And while period-style helms looks good, how often would a 
16th century fighter be wearing *just* a helm along with "street clothes"?

As for painting them, personally I don't have a problem with it, 
although some other folks do. One painting option that hasn't been 
mentioned yet is using a flat black paint to make the grillwork 
easier to see through, so it looks less like a mask and more like a face.

         -Tivar Moondragon